Andes facts for kids
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The Andes are a huge mountain range found along the western coast of South America. They are like a giant backbone for the continent!
These mountains stretch for over 7,000 kilometers (4,400 miles). They start in the south of Argentina and Chile and go all the way to the north of Colombia. You can also find them in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
Did you know that the famous Amazon River system actually starts in the eastern parts of the Andes?
The Andes are the longest mountain range on land in the world. They are also the second-highest mountain range overall, right after the Himalayas. In fact, the Andes are the highest mountains outside of Asia.
Aconcagua is the tallest peak in the Andes. It stands at an amazing 6,962 meters (22,841 feet) above sea level. Another interesting fact: the top of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador is the point on Earth farthest from its center. Chimborazo is an inactive volcano that last erupted over a thousand years ago.
Contents
Exploring the Andes: Sections and Features
The Andes mountains can be divided into three main parts:
- The southern Andes, which are in Argentina and Chile.
- The central Andes, covering parts of Chile, Peru, and Bolivia.
- The northern Andes, found in Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador.
In the northern part, like in Colombia, the Andes split into two or even three parallel ranges. These are called cordilleras. The word cordillera comes from Spanish and means 'rope'. The main ranges are the Cordillera Occidental (Western) and the Cordillera Oriental (Eastern).
An interesting fact about Colombia is the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. This is a separate mountain range, not directly connected to the main Andes chain. It's super tall, reaching 5,700 meters above sea level, even though it's only 42 kilometers from the Caribbean coast! This makes it the world's highest coastal mountain range.
Most of the Andes range is about 200 kilometers (120 miles) wide. But in Bolivia, it gets much wider, about 640 kilometers (400 miles) across. Even some islands in the Caribbean Sea, like Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, are actually the tops of the northern Andes that are mostly underwater!
How the Andes Mountains Were Formed
The Andes mountains are a result of huge forces deep within the Earth. They are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area known for many volcanoes and earthquakes.
These mountains were formed by something called plate tectonics. Imagine the Earth's surface is made of giant puzzle pieces called plates. The Andes formed because an oceanic crust plate is slowly sliding underneath the South American Plate. This process is called subduction.
The formation of the modern Andes began millions of years ago, during the Triassic and Jurassic periods. This was when the supercontinent Pangea started to break apart. Over time, the land was pushed up, folded, and cracked, creating the tall peaks we see today. This process wasn't always steady; different parts of the Andes have grown at different speeds.
Climate: A World of Weather in the Andes
The weather in the Andes changes a lot! It depends on where you are, how high up you go, and how close you are to the ocean.
- The southern Andes are usually rainy and cool.
- The central Andes are quite dry.
- The northern Andes are typically rainy and warm. For example, in Colombia, the average temperature is about 18°C (64°F).
It's amazing how quickly the climate can change here. You can find rainforests just a few miles away from snow-covered peaks like Cotopaxi! The mountains themselves have a big effect on the temperatures of nearby areas.
The "snow line" (where snow stays all year) also changes depending on the location. In the tropical parts of the Andes, it's very high up, around 4,500 to 4,800 meters (14,800–15,800 feet). But as you go further south, like in Tierra del Fuego, the snow line can be as low as 300 meters (980 feet). Many large glaciers in the far south even reach down to sea level!
The Andes in Chile and Argentina have two main climate zones: the Dry Andes and the Wet Andes.
Plants: Amazing Life in the Mountains
The northern Andes used to have vast rainforests. Sadly, many of these forests have been reduced due to farming, cutting down trees, and growing populations.
On the other hand, the western slopes of Peru, Chile, and Argentina are mostly dry. These areas, and many valleys between the mountains, often have deciduous woodlands, shrubs, and dry-loving plants. This eventually leads to the very dry Atacama Desert.
The Andes are a true "biodiversity hotspot," meaning they have a huge variety of life. About 30,000 different kinds of vascular plants live here. Around half of these plants are found nowhere else in the world!
One important plant from the Andes is the Cinchona pubescens tree. Its bark is used to make quinine, a medicine that treats malaria. Other important crops that first came from the Andes include tobacco and potatoes.
High up in the Andes, you can find special Polylepis forests. These trees, also known as Queñua or Yagual, can grow at altitudes of 4,500 meters (14,800 feet) above sea level! It's not fully clear if these forests were always patchy, or if they were cleared a lot during the time of the Inca Empire. Today, these trees are highly endangered, with some experts believing only 10% of the original forests remain.
Wildlife: Animals of the Andes
The Andes are home to an incredible amount of wildlife! It's one of the most important places in the world for amphibians, with almost 1,000 species, and about two-thirds of them are found only here.
The variety of animals in the Andes is truly high:
- Almost 600 species of mammals (13% found only here).
- More than 1,700 species of birds (one-third found only here).
- More than 600 species of reptiles (45% found only here).
- Almost 400 species of fish (one-third found only here).
You might spot Vicuñas and Guanacos living in the high plains called the Altiplano. Their relatives, the Llama and Alpaca, are often kept by local people. These domesticated animals are used for carrying things, for their meat, and for their warm wool.
The chinchilla, a small rodent that is active at night, also lives in the high mountain regions of the Andes. Sadly, both types of chinchillas are threatened.
The Andean condor, the largest flying bird in the Western Hemisphere, lives throughout much of the Andes. However, their numbers are very low. Other animals you might find in the open areas of the high Andes include the huemul (a type of deer), the cougar, and foxes. Birds like the Andean Goose, Giant Coot, and flamingos (often near salty lakes) also call the Andes home.
See also
In Spanish: Cordillera de los Andes para niños
Images for kids
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Aconcagua
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Aerial view of Valle Carbajal in the Fuegian Andes
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Rift valley near Quilotoa, Ecuador
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Bolivian Andes
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Laguna de Sonso tropical dry forest in Northern Andes
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Peruvian farmers sowing maize and beans
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Irrigating land in the Peruvian Andes
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Chilean huasos, 19th century
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The Aconcagua, Argentina, the highest mountain in the Americas
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Sajama, Bolivia
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Parinacota, Bolivia/Chile
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View of Cuernos del Paine in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
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Nevado del Huila, Colombia
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Chimborazo near Riobamba, Ecuador
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Huandoy, Peru
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Alpamayo, Peru
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Mount Humboldt at sunset
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View of Mérida, Venezuela
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